Commercial Lead

On behalf of the MOD , we are looking for a Commercial Lead (Inside IR35) for a 3 month contract on a hybrid basis (3 days per week from Wyton, Andover, Whittington, Glasgow)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is a central government department with a mission to protect our country and provide the ultimate guarantee of its security and independence , as well as helping to protect its values and interests abroad.

The MOD is one of the biggest public procurement organisations in Europe and the single largest customer for UK industry. It currently manages approximately £20 billion of spend on capital investments in equipment and infrastructure every year. Over the next decade the MOD is committed to spending over £190 billion on equipment and support. The MOD’s customers include both the armed forces and national security agencies, and it has a diverse range of requirements, including military fighting vehicles, education services, nuclear submarines and facilities management .

The MOD’s aim is to provide its armed forces with the best capabilities to enable them to protect the UK’s security and advance national interests, both now and in the long term.

To do this the MOD has an annual budget of almost £53 billion and a workforce comprising 197,000 people. of which 54,000 are civilians working for the UK MOD.

The work really matters; the MOD offers a range of engaging roles which have a direct impact on the quality of services they provide, in many locations across the UK. We support teams working in HR, Primary Health Care, Corporate Services, and many others.

As a Commercial Lead , your main responsibilities will be:

- Lead complex , end-to-end procurement activities from strategy development through to contract award.
- Develop procurement strategies, tender documentation and evaluation methodologies.
- Manage competitive tendering exercises, supplier engagement and commercial negotiations.
- Ensure procurement activities comply with public sector regulations, governance and delegated authorities.
- Lead commercial management of high-value and complex contracts, including NEC3 and NEC4.
- Manage contract variations, disputes, change control , commercial risks and performance issues.
- Monitor supplier performance and drive improvements, value for money and contractual compliance.
- Support construction, infrastructure and facilities management procurement activities.
- Lead re-procurement planning, market engagement and contract transition activities.
- Build and maintain effective relationships with senior stakeholders, customers, project teams and suppliers.
- Provide expert commercial advice and recommendations to support programme and business decisions .
- Lead and mentor commercial professionals, promoting best practice and continuous improvement.
- Support commercial governance forums, reporting and supply chain resilience activities.

PLEASE NOTE: SC Clearance is an essential requirement for this role, as a minimum you must be willing & eligible to undergo checks. Please note, due to the exceptional requirements of this position (short-term nature of this role and speed at which we require a postholder in situ) preference may be given to candidates who meet all of the essential criteria and hold active security clearance.

Essential:

- Active SC Clearance
- Significant experience as a Commercial Manager or Commercial Lead within complex procurement and contract management environments.
- Essential experience managing NEC3 and NEC4 contracts.
- Proven experience leading complex , high-value public sector or regulated procurement exercises.
- Strong understanding of public sector procurement regulations, commercial governance and delegated authorities.
- Experience managing strategic supplier relationships and complex contracts throughout the contract lifecycle.
- Strong commercial negotiation, influencing and senior stakeholder management skills.
- Proven ability to manage commercial risk, contract performance, disputes and change control .
- Strong commercial judgement and understanding of value-for-money principles .
- Experience leading multidisciplinary commercial teams and delivering through others.
- Ability to operate effectively within complex programmes and project environments.

Desirable:

- Experience within Defence, infrastructure, property, construction or facilities management .
- Knowledge of Government Commercial Function (GCF) standards and practices.
- Experience supporting major projects, programmes or strategic procurement initiatives .
- Understanding of supplier relationship management and category management methodologies.
- Experience working on sensitive or security-focused programmes.
- Knowledge of supply chain resilience, market intelligence and business continuity planning.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident

As a Disability Confident employer, the MOD encourage applications from disabled and neurodivergent candidates . Applications from candidates who identify as having a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role will be prioritised for review. Where application volumes are high, additional role-specific and desirable criteria may be applied as part of the shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

Armed Forces Covenant

As a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, the MOD welcome applications from veterans, service leavers, reservists and military spouses or partners. Applications from eligible candidates who meet the essential criteria for the role will be prioritised for review. Where application volumes are high, additional role-specific and desirable criteria may be applied as part of the shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following “this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different.